Motor cycle



J. A-. PETERS.

MOTOR CYCLE.

APPLlCATlON FI LED JAN. 12, I922.

Patented Apr. 13, 1922.

IN VENTO/Z. J/l -PeZe7s JAMES ARTHUR r-nrnns, or trim WHITE 1 .41 aaac'.

Hausa, NEAR, scnasonouetr; ENGLAND. CYCLE.

i Y pe fi ti n of L t rs'Pat t. Patented Apr. 18;

Applieati'onfiled January 12, 1922.; Seria1 No. 528,680.

To, all whom it may concern."

'Be it: known that I, JAMES ARTHUR PETERS, a British subject, residing at The White House, near Scarborough, in the county of Yorkshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor Cycles, (for which I have filed a British applicationOctober'Ql, 1920, No; 29,790,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises an improved method of springing a wheel carried in a steerable fork of a bicycle, tricycle, motorcycle, cycle-car or the like, and has for its object to hingedly mount the said fork at the base of the steering-head so as to permit the said fork to rock about an axis parallel to the wheel axle, the rocking movement being resisted by a leaf spring contained within the steering-head. The invention further consists in means for lubricating'the said springing mechanism. V

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 illustrates the general arrangetorcycle, Figs. 2 and 3 being sectional elevations of the springing mechanism viewed respectively at right angles to the plane of the wheel and in the plane thereof.

Referring now to the drawing, the wheelaxle is held in the usual forked arms A brazed to the fork crown B which is pivotally mounted so as to be able to rock relatively to the steering-head C about an axis parallel to the axle. For this purpose the steering-head is fitted with a half-bearing D to which is detachably secured by means ofbolts or the like a steering-head cap E forming a second half-bearing so as to provide a journal for the shaft of the fork crown B. The shaft of the fork crown is formed centrally with a socket F adapted to house the butt end of a compound leaf spring G. In order to facilitate insertion, one or more of the leaves are formed at the lower end with a slight taper; and all the leaves are held firmly in place by a transverse screw H. The spring extends up the steering-head and is engaged atits upper end by a bearing pin I and recoil-pin J fitted in the steeringhead cap K. 7

It will be seen therefore that movement of the wheel axle into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l is resisted by the leaf spring abutting ;against the bearing-pin I and excessive recoil of the said spring by the recoil-pin J. The cap Kyis coned-to receive a handle-barfitting; and bothithe bearing D and cap K areprovided with coned ball-races" corresponding with similar ball-races providedinthe frame tube L which thesteering-head is mounted.

The steering-head isintended tol be' filled I with grease for lubricating'the leaves of the spring G and the bearing of the fork crown B, and the perforations Mare provided near its. base to cant also reaching the lower ball-race.

Iclaim:-- 1. Means for springing a vehicle wheel carried in a steerable-fork comprising a hollow steering-head, a fork hingedlymounted at the base of said steering-head so as-to permit the said fork to rock about anaxis parallel to the wheel axis and a leaf spring.

contained within and in line with said steerlug-head and so disposed Means for springing the axle of a vehicle steering-wheel comprising forks'carrying said axle, a hollow steering-head, a shaft carrying said forks and rotatably 'mounted at the foot of the steering-head a fixed member mounted in the upper part of the steering-head and a'leaf spring rigidly attached to said shaft, extending up and in line with the steering-head and abutting against said fixed member so as to support the load on said axle.

as to resist the v rocking movement of the fork. ment as applied to the front wheel of a mopermit of the lubrie, V

3. Means for springing the axle of a vehicle steering-wheel comprising a steering head, a fork carrying said axle and hingedly mounted at the base of said [steering head so as to be adapted torock about a horizontal transverse axis and a leaf spring substantially above and in line with saidffork and arranged to resist upward movement-of; sald axle, said steering head being hollow r .100

and adapted to contain said leaf spring. and a supply of lubricant therefor.

4. 'Means for springingavehicle wheel carried in a steerable-fork comprising a 1101? low steering-head, a fork hingedly mounted at the base of said steering-head so. as to permit the said fork to rock about an axis parallel to the .wheel axis,a leaf spring rigidly mounted at its lower end in relation to said fork and contained within and. in. 1 a j line with saidsteering head, an abutment at the back of the top end of said spring and an abutment at the front of the top end of said spring.

5. Means for springing the axle of a vehicle steering wheel comprising a steering head, a fork carrying said axle and hingedly mounted at the base of said steering head so as to be adapted to rock about a horizontal transverse axis and a leaf spring substantially above and in line with said fork and arranged to resist upward movement of said axle and an enclosing sheath adapted to contain lubricant for the hinged mounting and the spring. 7

6. The combination with a steerable fork of a motor cycle of a hollow head, means whereby the fork is pivotally mounted at the base of the head to permit a rocking movement of the fork about an axis parallel to the wheel axis, a steering head member secured within said member and with respect to the fork, and means at the upper ehd of the head to limit movement ofthe spring in rocking movement of the fork in either direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES ARTHUR PETERS 

